Do you like trusty steeds, sheriffs, and shootouts? What about cowboys, dusty trails, and a good old-fashioned Western? If you do, then you should read Under A Painted Sky by Stacey Lee. If you don’t, then you aren’t alone; I don’t particularly like them either. That being said, you should still read Under A Painted Sky by Stacey Lee and let me tell you why.
My Review of Under a Painted Sky
What I Liked
♀️The Female Friendship!
The most beautiful note Stacey Lee manages to hit in Under a Painted Sky is the sweet vibrato of sisterhood that naturally develops between Sammy and Andy, two teenage girls on the run from the law. The way they bond, support, uplift, and sacrifice for each other is, without a doubt, the soulful heart of this touching story.
🏜️The Wild West Setting!
As somebody whose interest in cowboys extends about as far as Toy Story‘s Sheriff Woody, I was skeptical that this book would be my jug of maple syrup. But I loved Stacey Lee’s The Downstairs Girl so darn-tootin’ much that I decided to give it a try anyways. Once again, Lee cast her writing magic and completely enchanted me into enjoying a genre that I typically avoid like cholera. By the end of this delightful frontier adventure, I was hollering, “Yee-haw! Ride ’em cowboy!” like the cattle-herding gunslinger that I most decidedly am not (but now sort of wish I was).
👪The Found Family!
In a desperate bid for freedom, Sammy and Andy take refuge with a group of three strapping young cowboys traveling to California – the stoic West; his skirt-chasing cousin, Cay; and Peety, whose love of horses eclipses almost all else. At first, I thought that these three boys were your generic cookie-cutter characters. I assumed that they were tossed into the narrative mixing bowl just to add a dash of romance and a pinch of teenage angst. Boy, was I wrong. Each cowboy is endearingly flawed, painstakingly nuanced, and plagued by his own set of demons. Together, these five create an unforgettable family dynamic that vaporized my heart into a pile of goo.
👔The “Girls Disguising Themselves as Boys” Trope!
So, I might or might not have hummed, “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” incessantly while listening to this audiobook. (And possibly envisioned a shirtless Shang more than once because…of reasons.) But iconic Disney power anthems aside, this is an all-time-favorite trope of mine that I regularly encounter in YA Fantasy. Seeing it play out in a genre that I’m less familiar with was nothing short of a delight.
📖 RELATED POST: 5 YA Books Where the Heroine Disguises Herself as a Boy
What I Liked Less
💛The Romance!
Although I like both Sammy and West’s characters individually, collectively, I was unimpressed with their relationship. Rather than sharing an electric spark of chemistry, their interactions held a charge as weak as a dying iPhone’s. And while I liked the idea of their romance, the actual execution felt stilted, awkward, and even a bit forced to me.
The Final Verdict
Under a Painted Sky is an emotional coming-of-age tale set against the vibrant backdrop of the American Wild West that spotlights the uplifting power of sisterhood and the edifying nature of female friendships.
TODAY'S WAFFLE RECIPE
Under a Painted Sky
From the Kitchen of: Stacey LeeCooking Directions:
A powerful story of friendship and sacrifice, for fans of Code Name Verity.
Missouri, 1849: Samantha dreams of moving back to New York to be a professional musician—not an easy thing if you’re a girl, and harder still if you’re Chinese. But a tragic accident dashes any hopes of fulfilling her dream, and instead, leaves her fearing for her life. With the help of a runaway slave named Annamae, Samantha flees town for the unknown frontier. But life on the Oregon Trail is unsafe for two girls, so they disguise themselves as Sammy and Andy, two boys headed for the California gold rush.Sammy and Andy forge a powerful bond as they each search for a link to their past, and struggle to avoid any unwanted attention. But when they cross paths with a band of cowboys, the light-hearted troupe turn out to be unexpected allies. With the law closing in on them and new setbacks coming each day, the girls quickly learn that there are not many places to hide on the open trail.
This beautifully written debut is an exciting adventure and heart-wrenching survival tale. But above all else, it’s a story about perseverance and trust that will restore your faith in the power of friendship.
Purchase Your Ingredients:
Have you read Under a Painted Sky?
What did you think?
Share a book outside of your usual reading preferences that you loved!
You seriously write the best reviews, Kat 🥺💛 this book wasn’t on my radar because like you, I don’t particularly care for cowboys, but now I’m interested! I’m just excited to pick up a book by Stacey Lee in general! I think I’m gonna start with Outrun the Moon, and I’m so excited!
Dawwww Caitlin, thanks so much! 💛 That means the world to me 💛💛 I would 100% recommend Stacey Lee’s books. I’ve read two of them by her now, and I really enjoyed them both. I haven’t read Outrun the Moon yet, so I’d love to hear your thoughts when you get to it! :)
I love Under A Painted Sky, Stacey Lee writes the best historical fiction! Great review!
I agree! I’m not much of a historical fiction person generally, but I have adored the two books my her that I’ve read. Thanks so much for your lovely comment 💛💛
i’m not really that into historical fiction, but your review made me want to pick this book up!! the female friendships, ‘girls disguising themselves as boys’ trope, and found family dynamic sound like they were done beautifully! your reviews are always so, so amazing, Kat, i loved reading this post and will have to read Under A Painted Sky as soon as possible now! <3 <3
I’m not really into historical fiction either, but I’ve adored both of Stacey Lee’s books that I’ve read, so I guess she’s a bit of an exception haha.
But anyways…OH GOSH, Ash, you are too good to me! 💛💛 Really, thank you for such a lovely comment – it really made my day! I’ve been playing around with my review format, so I’m glad to hear that it’s paying off!
I REALLY LOVE THE GRAPHICS YOU MADEEE HUHUHUHU I know this was a review but I can’t help but admire your graphic designs!!! They’re so cuteee HAHAHAH
OKAY SO YOU JUST MELTED MY HEART. 💛💛💛But seriously, thank you so much Divine, that really means a lot!!
I wouldn’t have looked at this book twice but my weakness is my love for horses… So now I’m going to consider reading this one 😄
Lovely review btw 💕
It was a really fun one! I hope you enjoy it, if you end up reading it! And thank you so much 💛
i’ve heard great things about this one, though i’ve always been a bit hesitant about it because i don’t do well with historical haha! (but so many people have said stacey lee is amazing at historical fic so i’ll definitely give her a try) i didn’t know that this had found family, though, and that makes me 100x more excited about it!! lovely review, and i’m glad you enjoyed the book 💖
Dawwww thanks so much, May 💛💛
I’m not really a historical fiction person either, which is why Stacey Lee is an absolute wizard, haha! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about some of her books if you ever get around to reading one of them! 💛💛 And yes, the found family in this one is just *chief’s kiss*
I adore female friendships so much! *happy hopping* Also, western settings are a new favorite ever since the Mandalorian came out. And this title sounds perfect! 😊
I love your reviews so much, Kat! They are so well-organized, and always leave me wanting to read the books you recommend/enjoyed. I really need to read something by Stacey Lee!! Her books are so loved in the community, and they sound right up my alley. Pity about the romance, but I’m happy to hear that the friendship was excellent. :)
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